Members of two Catholic parishes in the Panther Valley decided in 2016 that they would not let their churches close without a fight.

Meanwhile, a church building whose parish was consolidated eight years ago was razed.The Coal Region Catholics for Change, made up of members from Lansford's St. Katharine Drexel Parish and Nesquehoning's St. Francis of Assisi Parish, appealed the decision by the Allentown Diocese to close the churches on July 1. They got help from Sister Katherine "Kate" Kuenstler, a lawyer specializing in the regulations of the Catholic Church.The parishes have since been consolidated into St. Joseph's in Summit Hill, but they continue to fight.Members of St. Katharine's held a prayer service in September on the steps of the church to mark the 125th anniversary of the parish and its predecessor, St. Michael the Archangel.The Congregation for Clergy - the Vatican's equivalent of an appeals court - says that the churches' appeals are still open.Meanwhile, St. Ann's Roman Catholic Church, which was consolidated into St. Katharine's in 2008, was razed after sitting empty for the better part of a decade. Members took bricks during the demolition to remember the church where their families held christenings, weddings and funerals.A firm from Berks County was responsible for demolishing the building piece by piece, culminating in the fall of the building's bell tower.Most of the demolition was completed in August, but because of delays in the project, the site was not fully cleared until November.